Anyone use IMR 4064 in 30-30 Winchester? I know 3031 is the usual powder but there isn’t any around and I have a little 4064 I can play with. I am trying to find the most accurate load using 150 grain Hornady round nose Interlock bullets. I have a sizzling load with LEVERevolution that shoots about 3 MOA. I’d like to try to reduce that to 2 MOA if I could. IMR 4064 has been the powder that has given me very accurate loads in both 308 and 223.
IMR 4064 and 30-30
- Thread starter DMW1116
- Start date
- Status
tominboise
Member
The Hodgdon data center has IMR4064 data for the 30-30 with 150gr bullets.
Charlie98
Member
It would work, but you are likely right about the fireball! ...but, maybe not. I get a fireball with H335 with a 150grn bullet in .308, but there are roughly 10grn less powder in an equivalent load in the .30-30. It might not be as bad as you think. Muzzle blast with H335 might wind up being less than a full charge of IMR4064 would.
I have a 110 grain FMJ load for my 30-30 that makes a volleyball sized fireball but I’m pushing it as fast as I can without degrading accuracy. I finally found some more 110 grain bullets but they have a brass jacket I am hesitant to try. Any input on brass jackets in rifle calibers?
Also I understand I’m not going to match my 308 and 223 loads for accuracy with a Marlin 336, but it’s just not that fun to shoot with its current accuracy level.
Also I understand I’m not going to match my 308 and 223 loads for accuracy with a Marlin 336, but it’s just not that fun to shoot with its current accuracy level.
Charlie98
Member
Is that with the Hornady 150? FWIW, my brother's 336 does NOT like 150grn bullets, factory or otherwise. I settled on 170's and have been there with it ever since.
Charlie98
Member
I think the additional bearing surface of the longer 170grn bullet helps against the MG rifling. Just a theory.
This rifle has done very well with Winchester 170 grain Power Point but there is none to be found. If it was still $15/20 I wouldn’t even be reloading for 30-30. I have a bunch of 160 grain FTX bullets. I wonder how they’d do with IMR 4064.
Are you shooting with irons or a scope?
Imr4064 does work fairly well.
I'm surprised you only got 3 moa with lever evolution. It was my most accurate powder in my wife's marlin.
The LEVERevolution loads do a bit better with the XTP bullets. I’ve not had a lot of luck with 150 grain bullets with either H335 or LEVERevolution. I just have about 60 left of the 150 grain bullets. I have loads for the XTP and for 110 grain FMJ but the 150s have been frustrating.
Charlie98
Member
When I first bought that rifle for my brother, I bought 2 boxes of 150's and 2 boxes of 170's... The 150's were more fun to shoot, but the 170's showed far better accuracy. I've posted previously as well that not all 170's are the answer, either... I've found the Marlin to be picky about bullets, too.
Yep I’ve had people comment about it as it’s a 1981 model with the JM stamp. They had a different one that shot the 150s better and talked about how the 170s weren’t worth buying. 336s seem a bit selective or maybe it’s just the old ones like me and the other fella had.
I’d like to dedicate it to a cast bullet shooter but that’s going to require a fair bit more work and research.
I’d like to dedicate it to a cast bullet shooter but that’s going to require a fair bit more work and research.
Charlie98
Member
I bought his in 1987... so it's a JM. I also bought one from a friend that was even older 50's or 60's if I am to believe him, and they both behaved the same way. Maybe luck of the draw.
Curiously, I sold the older one to a friend. I put an XS rail on it, and gave him an old Bushnell red dot handgun sight I've had for years... he wanted it Tacticool, and I told him that was as far as I was going with it. Anyway, I also loaded up some 170grn .309" LaserCast FP bullets for him for plinking, but he and I were just talking last week that they were not very accurate. I have a Savage 99 in .30-30 that is the same way with the .309" bullets, so I got some .310" from Montana... and that fixed the problem lickety-split. Loading cast for a 336 is not as hard as some would make you believe.... just like my Savage, the bullet has to fit the bore.
Curiously, I sold the older one to a friend. I put an XS rail on it, and gave him an old Bushnell red dot handgun sight I've had for years... he wanted it Tacticool, and I told him that was as far as I was going with it. Anyway, I also loaded up some 170grn .309" LaserCast FP bullets for him for plinking, but he and I were just talking last week that they were not very accurate. I have a Savage 99 in .30-30 that is the same way with the .309" bullets, so I got some .310" from Montana... and that fixed the problem lickety-split. Loading cast for a 336 is not as hard as some would make you believe.... just like my Savage, the bullet has to fit the bore.
The wives tail about microgroove not shooting cast is false.
AJC1
Member
I propose that fit is more critical in mg than Ballard. A correct fit will always give better results.
GeoDudeFlorida
Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2020
- Messages
- 11,080
Quality Cast makes a .310” 170gr GCSil HiTek coated FN profile bullet that works well for me in my 336 but I’m only shooting minutes of white tail not bullseye. They’re about $20/100 delivered and I typically get the black HiTek so I can tell them at a glance from the 130gr bullets I use in the .30-06 and 300Savage.
I’m sure it’s the nut behind the press not the gun. I tried some 135 grain Acme cast and coated bullets. They are 0.3095”. They don’t shoot very well so far. The appeal was they’re 13 cents instead of 30 cents each. I’ll keep exploring cast sometime but for now it’s on hold. I’d like a good subsonic load with heavy bullets that’s accurate out to maybe 200 yards though I don’t know if that’s possible.
I have been saving most of my IMR 4064 for my 308 as I prefer 308 service loads. However I need to do some load testing with a different powder and some 168 grain Amax I snagged. If that works out I can switch some IMR 4064 over to 30-30.
I know I’m bouncing all over but I have limited powder options and am trying to figure out the most beneficial uses for them.
stillquietvoice
Contributing Member
Loaded imr 4064 in 3030 back in ghe 90's but haven't since. Worked very well out of my mossbrrg practice 472. A friend is currently loading 4031 and aa 2230 in 3030, a win 92, not sure of his results but will find out.
How hard are they? By all my research the Acmes are hard enough but I think another 0.001” or 0.002” would improve things and a gas check would allow most of the loads in the cast bullet manual. Most are about 1600 fps or more. I’m still digging into these loads. The Acme are ok at 25 yards but fall apart past that.
I ran heavier bullets and faster powder.
168 AMAX and 4064 were my go to in my 308. It got boring. So I sold it to a friend who needed a deer rifle.
GeoDudeFlorida
Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2020
- Messages
- 11,080
Website says they use 2-6-92 alloy. I run the 130 and 170 in .30-06 and .300Savage using Lyman’s 45th and 48th data, IMR 4227 and 3031 up to around 2200fps for close range work.
entropy
Member
I tried it in .30-30, but went back to IMR 3031.
- Status
Similar threads
